LeapFrog Leapster TV Learning System

by LeapFrog

Product Features

• Educational game console that connects to your TV
• Includes 2-player, turn-taking game, Dora the Explorer Piñata Party
• Teaches letter recognition, phonics, and word building
• Compatible with entire library of separately sold Leapster games
• Powered by 4 C-size batteries (not included)

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 4.7 x 12 x 15.9 inches ; 4.2 pounds
• Shipping Weight: 4.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• ASIN: B000ETRFHS
• Item model number: 20300
• Our recommended age: 4 - 10 years
• Manufacturer recommended age: 4 - 5 years
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #111,068 in Toys & Games (See Top 100 in Toys & Games)
• Average Customer Review: 2.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (43 customer reviews)
• Discontinued by manufacturer: Yes

Product Description

From the Manufacturer

Leapster TV™ brings all the fun and learning of the Leapster learning game library to younger kids! This educational game console connects to the TV and works with the entire library of Leapster games that teach essential school skills! Includes "Dora the Explorer Piñata Party!" game. Product Features: * An educational game console on the TV, plus a controller with easy-to-use joystick, stylus and touch pad for writing skills * Includes the Leapster® Dora the Explorer Piñata Party! game: teaches letter recognition, phonics and word building * Works with all game cartridges in the Leapster and Leapster L-Max family (additional games sold separately) What it Teaches: * Phonics * Reading * Math * Problem Solving * Writing Skills * Spelling * Language * Geography * Art * Music

Product Description

Connect the Leapster TV Learning System to your television; then pop in and play any game in the Leapster Learning Game library. Includes chunky game controller with joystick and stylus. Includes "Dora the Explorer Pi?ata Party" game. This game teaches upper case letters, lower case letters, phonics and word building. Requires 4 "C" batteries, not included. Measures 16"L x 4.75"W x 12"H.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

53 of 58 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Leapster with a view, August 8, 2006

By 

S. Sharrer - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: LeapFrog Leapster TV Learning System (Toy)

We have had this product for a little over a month and the Leapster TV is a great product for people who purchased the Leapster before the L-Max. The kids love playing their game library on the TV. It is nice being able to see what they are learning on the big screen. I love the fact that it is compatible with every Leapster cartridge ever made. The controls are a little different from that of the Leapster heandheld but my son was able to adjust much faster than I was. You have the opton of one or two players and there is an additional slot to expand the unit to use two controllers. Overall, this is a good value and we have had a lot of fun with it.

30 of 32 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars crap, December 30, 2006

By 

Mouse (Texas) - See all my reviews

This review is from: LeapFrog Leapster TV Learning System (Toy)

I am about to return this to the store. The graphics are lousy, 80's style. The writing pad doesn't work, I had a hard time just moving the pen across the pad to make Dora walk a few inches. Then when we got to the screen to enter your name only half of the letters showed up and everything else vanished. For a Leapfrog product this is a huge disappointment. I expected more from them. My son has a leapster and I've never had any trouble with it. Leapfrog, this is a shame and you should be embarrased to have made such junk.

Didn't even deserve the 1 star!

17 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Bottom of the Barrell, January 6, 2007

By 

Lainie Guerra Hardman "Belize it!" (San Diego, CA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: LeapFrog Leapster TV Learning System (Toy)

I have bought lots of other educational toys from Leapfrog and when faced with the choice between this and V-smile I immediately bought this based on our previous experience with Leapfrog. Big Mistake.

The setup is easy and it does have cross platform and backward compatibility but that's where the good comments end. The pen tool is difficult to use for a 35 year old much less a four year old. In order to play a game you must enter a player name and you must use the pen tool for this. My daughter often get frustrated trying to put in her name and starts to cry. The controller itself is clunky. I don't know what they were going for but they missed the target.

Second and probably the most glaring flaw is the graphics. When compared to the cheapest PC game for children this system is not up to par. The graphics appear to be circa 1984. My old Smurf game for my Colecovision had better graphics. The graphics are pixelated to the point of looking boxy around the edges and the color lookes washed out. The effect is glaring, kinda like the feeling you get when you see those horrible little Boobahs.

Third, the gameplay is neither intuitive or fun. This is based on the Dora game that comes with the system. The theme is carnival oriented so the underlying goal, which the game does not mention, is to get tickets. You find out how many tickets you get at the end of the game. There are no prizes or mini incentives to keep the child interested. By this I mean you don't know how many tickets you've won after each activity, only at the very end. There is also no indication of how many tickets you already have like a running counter Also, children like to buy things with tickets, it would have been a nice touch to add a little section where they can buy stars or other little toys with their tickets. That would have been much more fun for this little Chuck E Cheese crowd. Playing some of the games with the controller requires a bit of dexterity. My husband (a hardcore gamer) stumbled a bit on the pinata letter game. This game shows pinatas slowly sliding down a tube. Each has a letter or number and you have to pick a letter or number based on what the narrator requests. In order to select an answer you have to line the the letter up with Dora's stick and select. This is not that easy to do. You can move the pointer line 360 degrees but it doesn't quite line up visually. This is confusing for little ones. The best way to play the game would be to leave the stick in one place (not very fun) and wait, wait, wait for the correct pinata to hit the pointer line. My daughter tries to move the stick and as a result ends up going in circles. This frustrates her because she knows the answers but can't easily choose them with the controller.


Fourth problem is the sound. You can hear static in the background and the music and voices sound very canned. The transitions between scenes are choppy and rough. For an educational game the visual and audio should be key components.


This system may have been competitive in the early 90's but now it appears dated and substandard. The little plug and play games that you can get at any drug store offer better graphics, sound, and gameplay.


My only guess is that Leapfrog wanted to rush something to the shelves to compete with V-smile. Unfortunately for us we bought one and received two more as gifts. We plan on taking all back.

Save your money. I can't recommend V-smile but after I buy it I'll update this review.